Rïsa abr du Shur'tugalar
by Lummos
Summary: With Eragon's journey coming to an end, will he have the strength and will power to defeat Galbatorix? Or is Alagaësia doomed to live under Galbatorix's rule?
1. Dawn

**A/N: **Rïsa abr du Shur'tugalar: Rise of the Dragon Riders. Adventure/Romance featuring ExA.****

**Chapter 1 - Dawn**

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><p>Eragon awoke in his tent aching and dazed from yesterday's events. He stumbled out of bed and remembered the loss of his mentor and the closest living being he could refer to as a fatherly figure. The sorrow of his loss still wracked his mind and he felt his eyes begin to water. <em>I must be strong.<em> He thought to himself. He began to search his tent for something to wear, before eventually settling on a blue elven shirt and leggings.

_Oh, little one, do not dwell on the past. Do not think of the future, there is only the now you should be worrying about. Oromis and Glaedr were our friends and mentors, they will live on in our and the elves memories. Maybe soon we will be able to visit their bodies before they are laid to rest._ Said Saphira, who gave him a comforting look. _Perhaps you should go and speak to Arya? She was close to Oromis to._

_Would you like to join me and watch the sunrise? I will ask Arya if she wishes to accompany us._ He said thoughtfully.

_As you wish._ And he walked out into the cool morning air with the birds singing and the sun beginning its ascent. The air was beginning to heat up but wasn't too cold to cause him discomfort. The Varden camp was still mostly quiet at this time in the morning, allowing him and Saphira to contemplate the recent events without being hassled. The camp was sprawled out around Feinster with most sleeping in tents. Some nobles had attempted to seek shelter within the city itself. Saphira had removed her head from the tent and was watching him. He quickly went over to her before they departed and gave her a quick scratch behind her ears. Humming, contentedly, Saphira leapt into the sky as he began to run his way to Arya's tent, confident he could keep up with Saphira. He looked up to see where she was and saw her glimmering scales in the sunlight, knowing Saphira was the most beautiful dragon currently alive. Glancing around as he sprinted past the lines of tents, he wondered how many soldiers would survive the battle for Belatona to sleep in a proper bed again. _Do not fret little one, although the losses may be great, what we shall gain from this is much greater than the losses we will endure along the way._ Soothed Saphira.

_If we could get a hold of the last egg, we may even be able to save the Dragons race._ He said to Saphira.

_Hopefully, little one._ Their exchange was cut short as Saphira spotted Arya already leaving her tent from above the camp. Eragon quickly changed direction towards Arya and called out her name.

"Looking for me, Eragon?" She said turning towards him. Eragon noticed she had abandoned her black leather in favour of the green dress she had worn when she came looking for him after his visit to Helgrind. He also noticed her eyes were slightly puffy, looking as though she had recently been crying. Eragon sighed, wishing he had more than just a friendship with Arya and knowing that he would not dare push it further without risking everything he had with her. He hated seeing her upset, and the thought of her crying pained him.

"Would you like to walk with me? Saphira suggested we watch the sunrise, and the Varden are quiet this morning, allowing us for some quiet contemplation."

_I thought it was _you_ who said you wanted to cheer her up by walking with her. I don't think it wise to lie to the elven princess even if it is for good reason._ Including not just him but also Arya to her words. Eragon could sense her amusement radiating from her as he scowled at her.

Arya gave him a suspicious look but relented. "Let us move away from the camps to allow Saphira to sit comfortably." She said, leading Eragon through the camps to the edge and up a small hill. Saphira landed beside them and rested on the ground behind them. Eragon sat with his back propped up against one of Saphira's legs. Arya sat next to him.

They sat, resting on the crest of the hill watching the sun beginning to climb above the Varden camp. He saw the shape of Saphira beginning to cast a long shadow behind her down to the bottom of the hill. Considering it was the day after the battle for Feinster, the Varden was unusually quiet and the singing of birds made the morning seem peaceful. It reminded him of when they had used to sit and watch the sunrise whilst they were journeying to Ellesméra. It had been a peaceful time for him. The peacefulness of the morning disguised the inevitability of what was soon to come.

He sat and watched the sunrise in silence, his mind turning to the past events and thinking about what Oromis' and Glaedr's death meant to him, and what new responsibilities he would have. Breaking the silence that had grown, he said cautiously to Arya, "I am worried about the future. With Oromis and Glaedr..." He broke off for a moment before continuing. "I am not sure what I should do. My mind is confused and I feel the path ahead darkening..."

Arya looked at him then, with a face filled with sorrow and said, "Not everything is clear to me either, Eragon. But do not falter, Alagaësia needs you." She said, turning away.

Eragon let the statement stand and allowed the silence to build around them. His thoughts began turning to his future tasks again, before he could stop himself, he began to think about the still unhatched egg. He knew that, unless he managed to break Murtagh from his bonds, all hope of rebuilding the dragon race lay in the last egg.

"I hope the last egg will hatch to someone sympathetic to our cause before Galbatorix has it hatch to another of his servants. And I hope that Murtagh can be severed from his bonds." He said, mentioning his thoughts to Arya.

"Family are sometimes the hardest to deal with, Eragon. And, not everyone may be as understanding to Murtagh as you are." A tone entered her voice that made Eragon look up and see sadness etched upon her face and her eyes watering slightly. "Remember, take hope from those dearest to you and fight for them."

"How has your mother been with you?" He asked, having noticed her sudden sadness.

"She will no longer argue with me but I see in her eyes she still disapproves with my decisions. However, she has begun to express some form of concern for me. Having spoken to her for the first time in almost seventy years and only being welcomed back to sate the other elves nervousness around the queen was a hard blow. And now, we have lost the elves rider, it... affects me more than I let on."

Arya could tell that the recent losses had affected Eragon greatly, just as they had affected her. One of the greatest things when she was around Eragon was that he could make her smile. As rare as it was, she smiled the most around him. And this was one of the things that confused her so. Why could she not just leave Eragon alone? She continually sought him out and walked with him. She knew that she should not encourage him so, but she couldn't help wondering at her own feelings. _If I like him for his friendship, why do I always feel like this when I am around him or when he touches me?_

Saphira must have noticed her distress and nudged her with her mind. _What is the matter, little one?_ Arya noted the affection carried with the name.

_I do not know, Saphira, but I feel so confused._

_Why is that? _Saphira asked. Arya said to her;_ I do not know, I feel terrible, but Eragon still has the ability to cheer me up. Will you tell Eragon what I have to say? _She asked. _No, he's currently unaware we're talking to. _She responded.

Feeling a bit more comfortable, she continued nervously, _I don't want to encourage him, but I'd like to spend more time with him, but I fear the consequences._

_I think you underestimate Eragon. He knows not to push it, for fear of angering you again. Live life as you want. As I said to Eragon, don't dwell on the past, live in the current._ She felt a bit taken aback, and realised that she may have over thought things. _Thank you, Saphira, for your advice. _

Saphira didn't end the connection but lapsed into silence. Although her mother was still her family, she didn't feel she trusted her enough to reveal her feelings or thoughts with her. She even trusted Eragon more than her mother. Their relationship was more superficial than anything else. She wished above all else that the war would end, the amount of losses she had taken staggered her and she could not think of them without her eyes beginning to water. Then, loneliness gripped her like never before. She had no one to relate to, her own mother alienated, father dead, friends dead and, now, one of the closest fatherly figures to her had died. She faltered for a moment and Saphira brushed her again.

_Perhaps_ Saphira intoned gently, _you should confide more in those around you. If you ever need to talk, Arya, I will have an ear for you. And so will Eragon._ Arya smiled at the kindness Saphira was showing her. _I find being able to share your problems with others helps remove the weight of them. This is one of the greatest gifts for me and Eragon, our company._ Arya mentally nodded to Saphira and thanked her for her consideration.

_Eragon is becoming slightly unnerved by out silence. Perhaps you should say something?_ Said Saphira to Arya and she heard a slight chuckle from behind her. She gave a nervous laugh then Eragon looked at the two of them suspiciously.

Later that day, a messenger came to Eragon telling him that Nasuada was requesting his presence at a war meeting. He quickly arrived at the tent, not wanting to delay the meeting. Inside the tent, seated around a table, was, Nasuada, who was sitting on her chair before the rest of the table, Jormundur, King Orrin and his many advisors and Arya. His eyes lingered on Arya for a moment and she smiled at him, before returning to a blank mask again. He sat at a chair and Saphira poked her head through the tent so she could join in on the discussion. The faces on those within were grim. No one was taking the war easily, but they knew it must be done. Whilst Galbatorix ruled, there could be no peace for these few.

The atmosphere within the tent was tense, all waiting to know what to do and what to expect in the upcoming couple of months.

As he sat down, Nasuada began; "Our next target is Belatona. We will attempt to capture the Lord of Belatona with as little bloodshed as possible. Once we have taken Belatona, we will meet up with the Elves before our attack on Dras-Leona. With the combined might of the Elves, Dras-Leona should fall quickly. Once that's done, we will march directly for the Black King." At Nasuada's mention of the impending attack on Urû`baen, fear gripped Eragon. The mere thought of challenging the king sent spikes of alarm up his back.

_Be calm, little one. We will find a way to defeat him and take back the last egg._ He was grateful for her soothing words but he could still sense some of her fear through their link.

_If I could find out what the vault of souls is, or if we could steal the last egg and try to find it a rider, this would be all the easier._

_Maybe we should inquire with Jeod and see if he has managed to find anything useful about Dras-Leona or Urû'baen that we can exploit._ Said Saphira, reminding Eragon of Jeods current job.

_He did say that the chance of finding anything would be remote._ After this, he began to drift away from the conversation going around the table, and began to look at each member of the Varden's trusted in turn. There was, of course, Nasuada, who had changed so much since Eragon could remember her in Farthen Dûr. She had now become a strong promising leader for the Varden who, Eragon knew, would do anything to protect it. He wondered where the Varden would be without Nasuada there to guide them.

Then, there was Jormundur, still sitting on the right hand chair of Nasuada. He had quickly accepted Nasuada's rule of the Varden and no longer tried to use her as a puppet as the council had previously tried. In both Jormundur and Nasuada, subtle changes had occurred that showed their losses and the battles they had endured, and not just physical ones, but also mental battles. Their faces were etched with loss and sorrow.

There was also King Orrin at the table, occasionally adding to the conversation but mainly keeping to himself and his advisors. Tensions between the King of Surda and the Varden could be high sometimes, especially when Nasuada grew tired of his ranting and could be harsh with him.

He turned his gaze to Arya, she who had rejected his love but showed him the kindness of a friend. He pained in his heart to not be able to say and do the things he had long since wished he could do, but dared not endanger their friendship and make her angry. He had done that too many times to even think about trying to move their relationship any further. He had noticed changes in her though, as hard as she was to read, Eragon had an inkling of understanding and could tell when she was upset or happy. She had been happy for a while, but her happiness had left her at the dreadful news of his mentor's demise. It pained him to see her like this and be unable to comfort her without pushing it too far. Seeing her sad was a painful experience he had to endure. He knew she had endured great losses from the war. She was probably one of the strongest people he had met so far. She had lived through all of it. He had only just begun to recently become entangled in it, but he knew this stretched way back before he was born and had affected every step in his life. Considering the amount of pain and loss he had suffered from, he wondered how she felt and he began to wonder about her relationship with her mother again. He knew that, whilst they appeared to be friendly on the outside, she was troubled by her. She had freely admitted this to him earlier and he wondered if she had let him know more than she had wanted. He decided that tomorrow, he would spend the day with Arya and try to alleviate as much of her pain as possible. He began to think about the changes he had noticed in Arya. She seemed to be allowing him a deeper look into her feelings and he was glad she was beginning to trust him more but he was confused and could not work out how she held his relationship with her. It was a fragile thing and he could not make a mistake when judging her emotions or she may take offense. Sighing, he turned back to the meeting.

The meeting dragged on, until minor issues began to be addressed. He only wished for the meeting to end so that he may go and contemplate the impending battle of Urû`baen and how he would be able to separate Galbatorix from his Eldunarí or otherwise kill him. It was not a problem he wished to consider, but his entire life will hang on whether or not Galbatorix can be defeated or not.

"We will spend the next few days packing up the tents, and, in some cases recuperating." Nasuada said, shooting a glance at Arya and Eragon. "Once we are ready, we will march to Belatona and defeat them."

As the meeting drew to a close, Eragon stood and excused himself. The recent weight of the battle and the losses still preyed upon his mind and the thought of once again shedding blood in Dras-Leona made him feel ill. He walked with Saphira back to his tent, allowing her to soothe his mind through their link. Being able to share his pains through the link with Saphira was one of the best gifts of being a dragon rider. Without Saphira, he doubted he would ever have gotten through what he had so far. Saphira read these thoughts and sent a shower of love down their link. As he arrived at this tent, he realised how difficult it must be for Arya. He doubted that she had many close friends with which to talk to like he could with Saphira, and if she did, they were most likely among the Elves in Gil'Ead.

_Visit her tomorrow, Eragon, and lend her your ear. But for now, you must rest._

Spirits slightly raised by Saphira's affection, Eragon slowly fell into his dream state where he was tortured with the images of his dying foes, Galbatorix and impending doom.

_Oh little one._ Said Saphira delving into Eragons dreams and remedying them by pulling him into her mind where she showed him nicer and brighter dreams. Eragon smiled slightly in his dreams.

The next morning Eragon awoke to one of his spells buzzing in his ear. The spell was much like the one Oromis had given him but smaller and more convenient. The spells main task was to awake him just before sunrise, but it also had other useful functions, such as; it would wake him if Saphira or anyone else needed him. It would also wake him in the event of immediate danger. Eragon quickly got dressed into an elven shirt and leggings. The inside of his tent shimmered blue from where the light reflected of off Saphiras deep blue scales. Walking out, Eragon saw that the sun was on its way to rising and Saphira was still asleep.

He walked out of the tent, greeting Blödhgarm on his way out. This morning was colder and he quickly rushed over to Saphira, waking her gently. _Good morning, little one._ Saphira said whilst stretching out like a cat. Watching Saphira stretch brought a smile to his face and he held back a laugh at her expense.

_Let's visit Arya and then I want to catch up with Roran._ He said, standing near to Saphira for her warmth. He jumped onto her back, remembering why he loved her so. Whilst they travelled the short distance to Arya's tent, he scratched her gently behind the ears and she hummed in contentment. As he sat on Saphiras back, he glanced around and saw, off into the distance, storm clouds beginning to form. Above him, the sky was showing a fair amount of blue with the occasional cloud crossing the path of the sun, causing the camp to darken. As he watched this happen, he laughed and compared it to events in his life. Sometimes life would seem bright and colourful, like when he was with Arya, or when he was flying with Saphira. And, other times, it would be darker and seem gloomy. The deaths of his masters currently had him in a dark state. He quickly shook his head of the thoughts and they continued travelling.

They quickly traversed the distance to Arya's tent and he knocked on the pole to see if she was awake or not. He heard murmuring from inside before Arya called for him to enter.

This was possibly the first time he had a good look at the inside of her tent, and, as he expected, it was clean and smelt of pine needles. He had always wondered why she smelt of pine needles but he could not discern the source of it from looking around. He noticed her cot in the corner of her tent was just as clean as the rest of the tent. In the rest of her tent, he saw her bags near her cot and the small table with chairs situated around it. Arya was sitting on a chair in front of the table which held a mirror on it; he also noticed she had placed a small flower in a vase there, a rose to be exact. Strangely enough, she was once again wearing her green dress. He would have thought she would be wearing her usual leather clothes, but, of course, he did not complain, it was nice to see her comfortable enough to wear it. Looking at the mirror, he could see Queen Islanzadi's image in the mirror. She raised her eyebrow at him and he greeted her with the elvish customs, she responded in kind and continued, "Would you join us? Arya has explained you already know and how you know. I do have a few things to discuss with you though, mainly concerning some of your new responsibilities."

Eragon nodded and Arya gestured to a chair and he took it. "Because you are the only _sane_ rider left, with the passing or Oromis, you are now the Lead Rider and it will fall upon you to teach the next riders, if and when we can obtain the last egg. You will be thankful that Glaedr has given you his Eldunarí, for when the time comes that you are the mentors. Another matter is Naegling and what we will do with the late rider and his dragon. I would like to propose you join us in Gil'Ead for a day where we can celebrate everything they have done for us and remember them for who they were, before laying them to rest. We thought it would be best if you left after the battle for Belatona. Whilst there, we want to entrust you with Naegling, I am sure Oromis would have wanted you to have it. Is this agreeable, Eragon?"

"Yes, but... what will you do with their bodies?" Asked Eragon, trying not to think too hard about his masters.

"We were hoping you could burn them. It seems fitting that the fire from a dragon should scatter their ashes." She answered. "If Nasuada should object, inform her you are now lead rider, and above her authority. If needed, ask her to release you from her fealty. She must oblige. I also want you to bring Arya with you. It has been a long time since I have spoken with my daughter." She said looking from Eragon to Arya. Arya regarded her mother carefully. "Do not look so sceptically, Arya, although you may not think it, I do care for you and wish for your happiness and wellbeing."

At this, Arya sighed and nodded. "Is there anything else you require, mother?"

Islanzadi gave her a guarded look and said; "That will be all. I will see you soon." Arya sighed as the mirror cleared itself.

"Do you not wish to see her?" Eragon asked cautiously, watching her carefully.

"I am thankful for her express of concern, but I can see how the conversation will play out and I would rather she left me alone." She said, sadness hinting in her voice.

Not wanting to dwell on topics that would sadden her, he quickly stood up and asked; "Would you come for a walk with me?"

"Of course." She stood up to and began moving to the tent entrance. They walked out and their guards fell into step around the two. Saphira leapt into the sky and began to fly to the destination Eragon had in mind. By now, more of the Varden had begun to awaken and they began to crowd around him again, trying to ask him for favours he did not want to commit to. Some of them were outrageous, especially from some of the women, but his protectors did not allow them to come too close.

The further to the edge of the camp they got, the less of a crowd formed around him. Before long, the crowd dispersed and he visibly relaxed. He also noticed Arya gave out a small sigh when they left the Varden camp and began to walk towards the tree line. Once they entered the small forest, peace returned and Eragon breathed in the cool, moist air. Ever since he had stayed in Ellesméra he had found sitting amongst trees to be relaxing. Although the trees here were much smaller and more distant apart, it still felt good to Eragon. Soon, they could see Saphira sitting next to a large tree. The tree was large enough that they could both sit comfortably on its roots. He and Arya knelt down to sit and the guards noted their stop and distanced themselves but still kept close enough to keep a watchful eye, allowing them privacy to talk as they wished but still able to react quickly to any danger.

They sat there, under the forest canopy in silence enjoying the company of one another and resting against the large trunk of the tree they had chosen. He pondered about his thoughts last night and what Saphira had said to him. He thought about how he would voice his concerns to her without her getting angry at him. After a while, he decided to break the silence and began to carefully pick his words. "I do not know if you are close to anyone, Arya, but you can always share your conflicts with me, and I would be more than happy to help you. It pains me to see you sad."

"Your words are kind and being able to spend time with a friend is greatly appreciated, especially during such trying times." She said, gratefully. "Perhaps, we could walk more often? Being among friends is much less depressing." She said this more hesitantly and she quickly looked away. Then, Eragon wondered what it was that Arya did when she was not busy. _She probably wants me to walk with her more often to remove her boredom to._ He thought.

_She feels she can trust you Eragon. Remember, you aren't close to many people within the Varden to._ Saphira advised him. With her words of advice he said, "Of course I will spend more time with you. Being in your company is soothing."

"Thank you." Arya said with gratitude in her voice.

Eragon returned to silence for a while, thinking about their upcoming journey to the elves and the events that would occur there. The elves would be heavily affected by their loss, but they also seemed to want to celebrate his life. Knowing how Saphira was with celebrations, he knew they would definitely have to stay at least one night. Riding a drunken dragon is never a good idea.

_Hey! I won't drink too much, Eragon. I am responsible for you._ Eragon smirked at Saphiras response to his thoughts. He was surprised when Arya suddenly spoke, he was beginning to get used to the silence; "It will be sad to see Oromis and Glaedr put to rest. I do not wish to stay there too long, Eragon, lest my mother continually pester me or I feel it too hard to stay. Please do not overly prolong our stay."

"We can leave as soon as you want, providing Saphira is sober." He replied, easing her concern and bringing a touch of humour to the conversation. "Thank you."

They stayed there for a while longer before Eragon realised the day was beginning to get on and he still had to visit Roran. Reluctantly standing up, he said to her: "I cannot stay longer; I need to catch up with my cousin over recent events."

Sighing, she stood up to and they began to walk their way back to the Varden. As they reached the camp, Arya excused herself and walked off in a different direction. Saphira also seemed to decide she did not want to be caught up in 'two-legged nonsense' and went off to hunt, leaving Eragon alone with his guards. He briskly walked to Rorans tent after asking for directions and knocked on the pole to his tent. He heard Katrina say, "Come in" and he entered.

"Ah, Eragon!" Said Roran, treating him to a bear hug that felt like his ribs were being crushed. "Good to see you again, Eragon." Whilst Roran was leather clad, Katrina was wearing a beautiful dress and he noticed that Katrina had started to develop a bump on her stomach.

He exchanged some pointless nonsense with Roran, who made as many jokes as he could at Eragons expense. Eragon soon became interested in Katrina's wellbeing and offered to check on her soon to be baby. She nodded and he placed a hand on her stomach and felt around with his mind, quickly locating her baby and checking its health. He took his hand off of her and grinned.

"It's doing fine and I can already begin to sense its thoughts." Katrina and Roran grinned back at Eragon and Roran asked; "Would you be here when she gives birth, Eragon? To make sure everything is okay?"

Eragon looked at his cousin, concern flashing in his eyes. "Of course I will help my cousin's wife. I will be here and help her along the way." With the main reason for his visit over, Eragon eagerly chatted with his cousin and talked to him about the recent battle and what had occurred and bragged about what feats of strength they had managed. Roran wouldn't accept that he had counted in the fight against Varaug and claimed it was Arya's feat and not his. They laughed and joked for a while until Eragon began to bore. He quickly excused himself and left the tent.

When he was outside, Blödhgarm asked him what he planned to do next. He called to Saphira and asked her if she fancied flying with him for the remainder of the evening. She gladly accepted and began to angle her way towards the Varden. He told Blödhgarm he would be busy with Saphira for the rest of the evening and he could expect Eragon back by nightfall. Blödhgarm nodded and said, "Do not stray to far from the camp, we need to be able to protect you in case you run into trouble." Eragon agreed and began the walk back to his tent.

Eragon spent the rest of the evening on Saphiras back flying high above the camp, sharing everything that had occurred that day with her and enjoyed being in her presence. He felt at peace with Saphira, among the clouds. Before long he returned to his tent. That night he was no longer troubled by apparitions of his past and settled into a deep sleep.


	2. Preparation

**A/N: Thanks for all the reviews. Special thanks to my beta for reading through it. Please continue to give reviews; it lets me know how to improve.**  
><strong>I think you will prefer Arya in this chapter. The next chapter may take me a little longer than normal, but hang in there.<strong>

**Chapter 2 – Preparation**

The Varden had been marching as fast as possible to Belatona. They had to make good time in order to take control of the city and sort out supplies for winter. Even moving as fast as the collective army could go, they were still taking too long. The days were getting colder and food was being to run short. Eragon was becoming frustrated with the slow progress of the Varden, even though he did not wish to arrive at Belatona. He knew all too well what could occur there. The Varden was still another two days march before they reached Belatona. The closer they got, the anxiety he felt increased.

Eragon had been taking his mind of off the upcoming encounter by spending as much time as possible with Saphira. When she was away, he tried to spend time with his friends. He mostly spent time with Arya and Roran, but they were both occupied with their own tasks. Roran was busy getting his small contingent of soldiers ready for the upcoming fight and tending to Katrina. Arya had told him she was busy preparing their elf guard for the upcoming fight. She also seemed to be avoiding him. He couldn't tell why, but when he did manage to track her down, he didn't press it.

He'd noticed that, whilst she was avoiding him, she would sometimes talk to Saphira, both mentally and in person. He didn't pry into their conversation but she would block the conversation from him anyway. When he asked her what they spoke of and why she was avoiding him, she told him that Arya had wanted someone to talk to after the death of Oromis and had changed the subject. Eragon didn't mind this, but wanted to know why she had been ignoring him.

As he had before, he had been storing as much energy as possible prior to the fight, knowing he would need it. He was hoping that Murtagh wouldn't be able to confront him at Belatona. He knew that if he came with anymore Eldunarí, there would be nothing to stop him from overpowering him, Saphira and the elves. He would drag him to Urû'baen and present him before the dark king. Eragon knew he wouldn't allow that to happen. He had resolved that, in the absolute worst case scenario, he would prevent his capture through suicide. Although it would mean the end of the last free rider and female dragon, it would be a better future than one where Galbatorix is able to breed more dragons and control their riders.

He severely hoped it would not come down to that, but he must be ready to face his fate should he need to. Battle plans had been worked out once the Varden's scouts had returned. It became apparent that Belatona was bigger than Feinster, and from what could be deduced, had more defenders too. Fortunately, the Varden had also gained a small boost to its army from volunteers from Feinster. They had gained a surprising amount of volunteers. It seemed that more were sympathetic to their cause than they had originally thought.

The sun was setting and the Varden had stopped for a good night's rest. Eragon unpacked his tent and quickly set it up. The task of setting a tent up had become a daily one. It took Eragon no more than a couple of minutes to finish. He had some time to spare before setting down for the night. Wondering what to do, his thoughts turned to Du Vrangr Gata and he decided it would be about time he set out to speak with Trianna about Du Vrangr Gata and get them ready for the upcoming battle.

He mentioned this to Blodhgarm. "We also need to discuss the elves tactics when you and Arya have some time." He advised.

"Once I have spoken with Trianna I will seek out Arya and we can talk tactics then. I imagine we will prepare outside of Belatona to, before we attack." With that, he cast his mind around the Varden camp in search of the tell-tale sign of Trianna or another member of Du Vrangr Gata. He quickly found Trianna and other minds that shielded themselves in a tent close to Nasuada's tent and the command and control tents. Most of them unshielded their minds and tried to contact him. He wanted to talk in person and kept his mind closed to them.

Saphira was not one to sit around, listening to tactics. He also suspected she harboured some resentment over the jealousy she had felt in Farthen Dûr when she had tried to seduce him. She took off to practice some aerial manoeuvres. It took him a while to reach their tents as many of the Varden tried to ask requests of him and his tent was located closer to the edge of the encampment. Upon arriving he found Trianna waiting in front of Du Vrangr Gata's tent. It was a lot larger than most of the tents around it. It was smaller than the command tents where Nasuada and the other faction leaders spent their time.

"Ah, Eragon, I thought I sensed you coming. I assume you want to organize us for the upcoming battle?" She asked.

"It will be much the same as last time. I will fight on the ground and link minds when one of your magicians finds an enemy spell caster. Will this be okay?" He asked, making sure she hadn't changed her mind about him being in control.

"It will be fine. Also, another spell caster joined us recently. We are grateful for her help, we are not a large group to begin with, and any death takes a toll on the group. Perhaps you would like to meet her?" Eragon was surprised that the group had managed to find another member, but was interested in gauging the new member's strength and skill.

"Of course, what is her name?" Trianna turned to lead him into the camp, saying, "Her name is Celia and she has had a proper apprenticeship, which makes her quite useful." Interested, he followed her in. Tables and chairs had been arranged around the tent. Some had scrolls on them, but he doubted they would be useful. He knew a lot of them wouldn't be able to read the Ancient Language and could only guess at the scrolls meaning from the odd word they understood. Most of the magicians within the tent stood in groups, talking with each other. Not all of the members were present, but he knew that Du Vrangr Gata had suffered losses.

Trianna led him to a young woman, who looked to be a little older than him. She had long, brown hair and wore clothes not unlike those that other Varden members wore, but they looked to be of better quality than most. She was talking to one of the other members of Du Vrangr Gata who left once he saw Trianna and Eragon walking towards them. "Hello Celia, Trianna tells me you have joined Du Vrangr Gata, and that you've had a full apprenticeship."

She smiled, saying, "It is an honour to meet you, Shur'tugal, I never fully finished my apprenticeship, but I was close to finishing with my tutor. We had to move to Surda once we got wind that the Empire and found us." Eragon noticed a touch of pride in her voice. "I'd like to test your abilities quickly and familiarise myself with your mind, so I recognise you when we are fighting."

She nodded and Eragon quickly began with simple tasks. She completed the tasks well, using excellent word choices. Eragon quickly began making the tasks harder and harder. She was nearing the limit of his own knowledge when she finally failed a task. He knew that she was far beyond the strength and skill of all of Du Vrangr Gata. Her strength came nowhere near that of his own, but her skill was close. He wondered who her tutor was, to be able to teach her so well.

"You have a remarkable skill, Celia; it is good that it is not wasted. May I ask who taught you?" She blushed at his compliment but she frowned when he asked for her tutors' name. "I can't tell you his name, not unless he tells you first. I vowed not to reveal his identity."

He shrugged and let it pass. Feeling confident in her abilities, he probed her mind quickly, seeing how strong of a defence she could muster. She instantly threw an iron wall up and pushed out aggressively. He realised he probably should have told her he was going to test her defences.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you, but I was just familiarising myself with your mind. You have a very good defence too." She smiled and dropped her attack. He brushed against her consciousness again, but this time she allowed him to enter. There were many closed doors in her mind, but he did not probe further than he needed to, but rather made sure he remembered the feel of her mind. He felt her take a look around his to; he felt surprise from her that he hid so little. He didn't feel the need to hide much from his allies as many people had already heard of his adventures. He hid some of the time he spent before joining the Varden and only a few memories after that. Once done, he removed himself from her mind and returned to listening to everything around him.

"It's been a pleasure meeting with you, Celia, and I wish you good luck in the upcoming battle." He made a mental note to speak to her after the battle about her abilities and seeing if she knew the finer points of the Ancient Language. He bade Trianna good luck and left.

Upon exiting, he greeted Blodhgarm. "It appears that Du Vrangr Gata has a new member. She could be of great use to them; her skill is astonishing for a human." Blodhgarm raised an eyebrow but didn't comment. "Well... we should probably find Arya. Have you seen her?" He asked.

"She hasn't taken any guards with her today; she says she finds it unnecessary no matter what I say." He replied, a hint of annoyance entering his voice. Just as Eragon opened his mind to find her, Saphira interrupted him, _She's with me. We're here._ She said, sending a mental image of where they were and how to get there. _Blodhgarm and I need to speak with her, it's about tactics._There was a quick pause before Saphira responded. _She is fine with it._

She ended the contact and he gestured into the distance. "Arya is with Saphira on a cliff overlooking the sea." With that, he left at a pace, with Blodhgarm close behind. Feinster was close to the shoreline, allowing them to easily run the distance. Few members of the Varden tried to stop him. Running as fast as an elf deterred most from trying to get in your way. Upon arriving they ran north where the land rose above the sea, forming a cliff face. They found Arya sitting with her legs over the edge with Saphira nearby, her head resting next to her, nose in the air smelling the sea breeze. Arya stood and greeted them in the ancient language.

She had chosen a beautiful place to sit. The cliff jutted out towards the sea, its surface sparkling in the sunlight, similar to Saphira's scales. At their back was the forest, which stretched back towards Feinster and to the north. Eragon resolved that he would take a fairth of the spot, once peace had been restored to Alagaësia.

They exchanged greetings and sat on the cliff edge, Arya on his left with Saphira's head on his right. Blodhgarm had sat next to Arya. Eragon gently scratched Saphira behind the ear as Blodhgarm began speaking. "To make sure we don't have a repeat of last time. I want to make sure they we all contact each other every few minutes. This way we will know where everyone is at all times and can better co-ordinate our attacks."

Eragon nodded and gave his thoughts, "I thought it would be best if we split into two groups. One could consist of us three and a couple of others, whilst the other elves assist the Varden where they need the most help. This will allow us to have 2 smaller fronts of attack." Blodhgarm seemed to reluctantly agree. Eragon guessed he didn't want to move any guards away from him and Arya but could see the advantages of having a group helping squads of Varden soldiers.

"Also, whenever you need to fly with Saphira, try not to stray too far away, you will need us if Murtagh makes an appearance." Eragon noticed Arya had been quiet and withdrawn. "Do you agree with this, Arya?" He asked.

"Hmm? Yes, it should be fine, as long as Murtagh doesn't show. If he does, it may be worth contacting Trianna and asking for her and Du Vrangr Gata to send you energy to. You will need everything you can get to defeat him." She replied.

Blodhgarm spent some time going into detail on how they should act in several scenarios before realising that Eragon and Arya had tuned out. He stood up and excused himself. Arya also made to stand. "Arya, I… "He trailed off, suddenly unsure of what to say." Is there something you need, Eragon? I have things to attend to." Backtracking, he said, "Oh… no, it doesn't matter." She turned and left. _Nicely handled._Saphira remarked. Eragon ignored her and sat on the cliff edge once again, content to spend the evening on the cliff.

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><p>The Varden had stopped short of Belatona. The order had been given to set up the tents and prepare for the siege tomorrow. Eragon hoped it would not last too long. He was hoping that his presence would speed the siege up by performing critical tasks such as opening the gates. He had just finished setting his tent up when a messenger arrived.<p>

"Nasuada is holding a meeting in an hour to discuss the siege. She has asked that you attend." He was obviously in awe of being near the last free Dragon Rider and hurried away as soon as he was dismissed. He sighed, knowing that the meeting would stretch on into the evening. The nobles liked to discuss matters that had previously been decided. They would go over the battle plan several times before finally announcing they were satisfied. He spent the best part of the hour flying with Saphira high above the Varden, but not straying too far, should Murtagh make an appearance.

He was reluctant to leave the sky for the meeting, but knew he couldn't delay it any more than he already had. Resigned, Saphira angled towards the command tent and landed in a clear space. He dismounted and walked with Blodhgarm and another elf into the tent. His guards mingled with the nighthawks who had placed themselves around the tent. A long table had been placed in the centre of the tent, with what appeared to be a map laid across it. There were a number of markings on the map, which held no meaning to Eragon. Saphira slid her head inside of the tent through a flap which had been opened in the side. Glancing around the table, he saw Nasuada at the head, with Jormundur on her right and Orrin on her left. Arya sat further down the table, with an empty seat to her left. He sat next to her, ready to begin the meeting.

Nasuada noticed his entry and began to speak. "Ah, Eragon, I think we're ready to start now." She said, glancing around the table. "The Varden will rest for tonight, with the siege beginning tomorrow morning. Belatona is of a similar layout to Feinster, so we are expecting the gates to be enchanted as they were at Feinster. Would you and the elves be able to open the gate from inside, as you did before?"

She asked, looking to Eragon. "I can fly with Arya over the top whilst the other elves levitate to the top." He replied, with Arya nodding next to him. "Good, this should save us a lot of time. Our scouts have not seen Murtagh recently; we are hoping he will not be able to participate in this battle. If he does, try to keep him away from the Varden. His influence could sway the fight for the empire." A hard knot formed in his stomach at the mention of Murtagh but he was a little relieved at the news that no one had seen Murtagh for days.

"Once again, we need to fight our way towards the keep, and convince Lord Taliesin to surrender. I propose that Eragon does this again, but you should ensure you take the other elves as well as Arya with you this time. We can't afford for one of you two die because of a mistake you made. Moving on, from some reports, there are more soldiers within Belatona than there was at Feinster. However, we have had a boost to our ranks from volunteers. Unfortunately, it only just offsets the losses we took at Feinster. We will need to take Belatona quickly, we can't afford a drawn out battle, our losses will be too high, and we are beginning to run low on supplies. We can use supplies from both Feinster and Belatona once we have settled down. I'm proposing that we keep the nobles and some of the Varden soldiers inside with the rest of the Varden in tents around/inside the walls of Belatona. I don't want to alienate the residents of Belatona by stealing their houses or forcing them to share too much. Who gets to live inside of the walls will be decided on a per-person basis."

There was a bit of grumbling amongst Orrin's nobles but most were impassive. "Orik has assured me that the dwarves will arrive sometime after our siege on Belatona, but can't give a precise timeframe, so we will not be awaiting the dwarfs' arrival. They will have to help us in future battles." Having finished her summary, Nasuada sat down and the nobles and other leaders began talking.

The battle plan was talked into detail, but mostly consisted of precise troop movements, which didn't affect Eragon greatly. Eventually, Nasuada call the meeting to an end, "We all need an early night. We will all need our strength come morning."

He stood, eager to leave and stretch his legs. Arya accompanied him out of the tent and motioned for him to follow her. Wondering what she wanted, he followed her through the swathes of tents, towards their own tents. He was surprised at the amount of time they had spent in the meeting tent, it was growing dark outside. He saw why Nasuada had forced the meeting to an end. Saphira excused herself, informing him that she needed to sleep.

Arya took a different route and continued past the elven section of tents and into the forest. She did not go far into the forest, obviously from fear of being cut off from the Varden. She stopped in a small clearing, and sat on a root of a large tree. Their guards fanned out, allowing them to talk without being overheard. He sat on a root close by, turning to face her. She sat, not looking at him, but into the distance.

"It feels like a relentless battle for survival. Being thrown straight into the face of danger, having only just survived the last encounter." She laughed a harsh, unnerving laugh. "Never knowing who will be struck down next."

"It is the price we must pay in order to rid this land of the mad king." He replied. "We must take inspiration from those we fight for. As we are their last hope. At the very least, we will have time to rest and recuperate once we have finished with Belatona. The Varden will not be able to move during the winter and other than visiting the elves, I have nothing to do." She did not respond and silence fell over them.

He could tell something was preying on her mind. He wondered if there was more to her fear than the impending siege. "Have you spoken to your mother recently?" He asked cautiously, trying to break the silence. "We have spoken during the trip here, if that's what you mean. Why?" She asked, rather coldly.

"Have you forgiven her yet?" He asked, wondering if he had crossed a boundary. "My relationship with my mother is none of your concern, and you would do well to remember that in the future." She responded angrily. "Arya, I am sorry if I have offended you, I did not mean it. I do not wish to have you upset with me tonight. I might not have a chance to apologise to you after tomorrow." He said in a grim tone. Her face softened. "I am sorry Eragon, I should not have snapped at you like that. I know you are being kind, and I do not mean to offend you in turn, either." She sighed. "I can see my mother still does not approve. She may act kind, but I know it does not run true. Seventy years is a long time, even by elf standards. Perhaps, once this is over with and the land has been returned to peace, I can mend my relationship with her."

He reached out and lightly touched her on the arm, "I offer you advice from experience and as a friend, do not squander the time you have together with her. I grew up without my mother, and you don't know what I would give to have her back. It is better for you to make up with her now, than regret it later. We are in a war, and you could lose anyone around you at any time." She smiled then, "Thank you, Eragon. That was truly wise, and perhaps I have been foolish and hasty. When we visit for Oromis' funeral, I will speak with my mother." Eragon withdrew his hand and they sat, watching as the sky darkened and the moon began to show.

"It is time we rested. We had better return to the Varden." Arya said, rising from the tree roots. Eragon followed suit and they left in search of their tents. Upon arriving, he bade Arya good night and slipped into his tent. Saphira was already asleep when he arrived. Eragon quickly got into his cot and fell asleep. His dreams were haunted by the images of those had slain at Feinster, the shade Varaug and Murtagh flying through the sky on Thorn.


	3. Belatona

**A/N: Thanks for the reviews. ****Thanks to beta for continuing to read whilst she was ill :)  
><strong>**Nice and simple chapter name again. Wanted to edit this some more, but I've delayed long enough.**

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><p><strong>Chapter 3 - Belatona<strong>

Eragon jumped awake. His sleep had been interrupted by nightmares many times during the night. He could hear the sound of the Varden preparing for the siege. He sighed, knowing he would have to ready himself to. He rose and began to equip his armour. He fastened Brisingr to his belt and left his tent. He knew he would have to find a shield; his last one had been torn to pieces from the blows it had blocked.

Blödhgarm and the other elves had also been preparing themselves. Blödhgarm assisted him in putting Saphira's dragon armour on to her and fastened it up. As they finished, a messenger appeared, as if from thin air, by his side.

"Nasuada wishes to inform you that the siege will begin within the next two hours. Also, once you are ready, your presence is requested at the command tent." The messenger left immediately, obviously busy with the errands tasked to him. Before he was finished, he knew he needed to find a shield. He quickly checked his and Blödhgarm's handiwork on Saphira's armour before setting out to find Frederick. He knew he would be in his usual place, the Varden's armoury.

He decided to leave Saphira with the elves. He didn't want to inadvertently startle any of the preparing Varden. As he walked through the camp towards the armoury, he saw many of the Varden preparing. Most were wearing some form of armour, with only a few wearing a full set. Armour was in short supply amongst the warriors, leaving many insufficiently protected from blows.

As he walked amongst the families and loved ones of those preparing to fight, he saw many crying. Others were hard-faced remained impassive, but he knew they all feared the worst.

As he arrived, he noticed Frederick preparing a small group of warriors. Normally the armoury was bustling with people, but today it was empty and quiet. He approached Frederick who quickly excused himself from the group of warriors and greeted him. "Eragon, what a pleasant surprise."

"Good morning, Frederick. I was wondering if you had a spare shield. My last one I had shattered and I haven't found the time to get a new one." Frederick nodded and led him through the armoury, to the back.

"What kind of shield would you like?" He asked, gesturing to a number of varying shields.

"I'd like a small one which I can use for blocking when my sword would be no use parrying. It would also be nice to have a light one, if that's possible." Frederick began to show him different shields. Eragon wasn't sure which to pick. To him, they seemed almost the same. Eventually, he settled with a round shield of medium diameter.

"I think this will be fine, Frederick." He said, thanking the man for his assistance. Frederick shrugged saying, "No problem, it's my job to keep everyone alive around here. Unfortunately I can't sit around chatting; I have many underequipped Varden to deal with." He said before rushing off. Eragon hefted his sword in his right and shield in his left, testing the weight of both. He found it provided perfect balance.

He still felt unprepared for the conflict, but knew he was as ready as he could be for now, and left in search of the command tents. As we walked through the Varden camp, he saw that many were almost ready now, with most finishing their goodbyes to their families. He hurried by, knowing he was going to be late for the start.

The nighthawks ushered him in as soon as he arrived. Inside, he found Nasuada, Jormundur, Garzhvog and other battle commanders situated around the table within. They sat with grim faces in an air of tension. He was slightly concerned when he noticed Arya and Orrin were not present. "Thank you for joining us, Eragon. We are just waiting for King Orrin to finish speaking with his advisors and for Arya to arrive. I believe she is speaking with Queen Islanzadí before we begin."

Eragon sat and listened to the conversation of the table and the noises the army made as it prepared itself. Before long, Orrin and Arya arrived, almost simultaneously. Nasuada rose as they sat, "The battle plan still stands as we discussed it last time. Murtagh still has not been spotted and no scouts have recently gone missing. Unless there is anything of importance which needs to be discussed now, I would like to address the Varden before beginning the siege."

She looked around the table, seeing if anyone had anything to add. "Well then, I will address the Varden first, then Orrin and finally Eragon." Eragon groaned inwardly. Eragon dreaded giving speeches. It temporarily replaced his fear of fighting in the siege. He knew he couldn't refuse to give the speech, it was his duty. Reluctantly, he stood with the others and filed out.

As they left the tent, he saw that the Varden had been rounded up into formation close to the Varden camp. They were ready now, waiting for Nasuada's command to storm the city. A small arrangement of tables created a platform above the crowd. Nasuada and the group headed towards it. Most of the group stood on the platform, with some of the lower commanders staying below.

Nasuada began her speech, "People of the Varden, I am proud to stand before you, knowing how far we have come. The heart of the Varden is you, the people. It is your will and determination that drives this revolution. It is you changing the world for the better. You should be proud of the actions you have taken when others would stand back. I have faith that your confidence will drive the Varden to Urû'baen's gates. Galbatorix will tremble before your might!"

The Varden cheered at Nasuada's speech as Orrin stood forward and delivered a speech, which was quite good by Orrin's standards.

Orrin received a polite response, but the Varden had reserved the majority of their cheer for Nasuada. As Orrin politely walked to the back, Eragon knew he would have to make a speech. His legs felt like lead as he walked to the front. _Will I ever get used to this…?_

_You will, little one, it comes with the role._ He felt amusement from Saphira. _I will help you if you would like._ Eragon sighed with relief; he knew Saphira could be crafty with words. _I would appreciate it._

He looked down upon the Varden, seeing many grim faces amongst the crowd. _Tell them that you can only succeed with their help. _Eragon obediently did as he was told. _Tell them that with the might of the Varden behind you, you can defeat anything before you._ Eragon repeated her words. "We will win today; the Empire stands no chance before the Varden!" Saphira roared and cheers erupted from the crowd. They had probably been more grateful for the faith he had in them than his actual speech.

Nasuada strode forward as they cheered. "It is time we took Belatona!". Officers around the army began to organize them into their usual formation and they began a march toward Belatona. _Thank you, Saphira; I am grateful for your help._ She chuckled saying, _At some point, you will have to learn to give your own speeches, little one. I am not a speech writer._

Eragon looked grimly towards Belatona. _It is time we flew. The Varden needs us to open the gates._ He walked off of the platform and gestured for Arya to follow him. Saphira was standing a few feet away, ready to fly. He climbed into the saddle and offered a hand to Arya, who ignored it and sat behind him. He did not strap himself in, knowing he would have to dismount soon.

Blödhgarm stood next to Saphira's leg. "We shall run with the Varden towards Belatona. We will arrive before they do, in order to remove as many archers and ranged attackers as possible. Once there, we will scale the wall as you fly over." Eragon nodded and Saphira leapt into the air. Arya gripped him tightly at the sudden ascension. He wondered if she would ever be comfortable flying on a dragon.

They flew over the top of the Varden, a large clump of soldiers turned to ants at the height they flew at. They did not stray too far ahead of the Varden, in case they should be cut off from the Varden by attackers. As the Varden drew close, Saphira flew straight towards Belatona. He could see the band of elves almost at the wall already.

Saphira flew over the wall and into the confines of Belatona. Looking down, he immediately saw that the force they had expected to be in wait here was not as large as previously expected. From what he saw, their force couldn't be in excess of fifteen thousand. The Varden would win by sheer numbers. He began to wonder why Galbatorix would leave a city with such weak defences when a hail of arrows drained energy through his wards.

He snapped back to the present and looked for a place to land. _Could you put us down on the wall? Arya and I can remove some archers whilst the others open the gates._ Saphira angled towards the wall in response._ I won't be able to land; you will have to jump off as I pass it._ He gave his acknowledgement and motioned to Arya. "We jump." He stated as Saphira was almost above the wall.

Before Arya had time to respond, he leaped off. He rolled upon landing to soften the impact, but it still jarred he legs. Arya landed seconds later, in front of him. The archers rushed forward, drawing their swords. Eragon stood and drew his own, before the archers had time to make the first blow.

He quickly turned on them, but didn't make a move. Instead, he spoke. "People of Belatona, I offer you peace. Surrender and join the Varden, we will not hurt you, you would be welcomed with open arms." He used the ancient language to project his voice across Belatona. He hoped that he could spare them, that they would be willing to surrender and join their cause.

Alas, he knew it was a futile attempt. One of the archers who seemed to be in charge stepped forward. "We fight for Belatona, dragon rider. You intrude upon our land intending to use it for your army. Yet you still claim to be of greater morality than our king. We will not surrender, traitor, and we will resist you from taking our city." At this, the men charged towards them, swords raised.

Eragon easily slew the first two men before they could parry or block his sword. He parried the third and plunged his sword deep into the man's chest. He pulled his sword free whilst blocking another blow. He stepped around another blade aimed towards him and quickly dispatched another three men. He looked around, and saw Arya dealing with the last solder, the captain. She flicked his sword out of his hand with hers and slashed him from chest to hip. He fell to the ground screaming.

Looking around, he saw archers further up the wall being burned from the engulfing fire being emitted by Saphira's maw. The ones they had confronted lay around him, dead. He saw the group of elves beginning to rise above the wall and land upon the top further down the wall.

"Let us regroup with Blödhgarm and begin our attack on the gate." Arya said as she began to sprint towards the elves. Upon arriving, Blödhgarm greeted him and gestured towards the building housing the gates opening mechanism. "You, Arya and another elf should create a distraction whilst we open the gate. The Varden are almost upon the city and are beginning to come under attack from ranged weapons."

Eragon nodded and pointed to a large group of solders standing before the gate. "We shall greet their welcoming party." He said grimly. Saphira flew over to them and landed on the edge of the wall. He and Arya climbed onto her back as the other elves dropped to the ground, slowing themselves with magic.

Saphira landed and they got off. She flew back into the sky, to deal with more archers. The street was a bit crowded for her and she would be more effective in the sky, raining havoc upon those below her. Another elf stood close to him and Arya as the others walked out of sight away from the soldiers.

He knew they would have heard his request for surrender and asked, "Will you surrender?" A number of them looked around nervously, but one shouted, "We will not join you, murderer." The soldiers drew their weapons and he knew they would refuse to surrender. They were dedicated to keeping the city theirs.

There were a lot more soldiers here than there had been on the wall, but another elf had joined them. They danced and spun through the crowd of soldiers, hacking and slashing to the back, slaying anyone who got in their way. The shield came in use a number of times, but his wards still drained his strength when a sword had to be deflected. The fighting was beginning to tire him when he felt Blödhgarm contact his mind. He let him in, wondering why the gate still hadn't been opened. _The gate mechanism has wards protecting it. We are trying to remove them now, but it will take us some time. _Eragon acknowledged him and the contact was ended.

He reached for Arya and the other elf and passed the news on. They regrouped and surveyed the remaining soldiers. Most of the original group had fallen, but reinforcements were joining them from within the city and surrounding houses. Eragon knew they would be overwhelmed by sheer numbers if Blödhgarm wasn't able to open the gate soon.

They returned to the fray, keeping together, preventing the enemy from flanking them. They killed many but they were being pushed back towards the gate. Just as Eragon was beginning to doubt if the gate would open, he heard the satisfying sound of the gate creaking open. As soon as it opened, a fierce war cry sounded from outside and the Varden began to charge inside. Eragon kept fighting as the Varden entered the battle, pushing the Empire inside of the city.

Blödhgarm and the other elves arrived shortly after the Varden entered. Eragon retreated behind the front line and saw the elves break into two groups, one to stay with him, the other to assist the Varden where they needed it. Saphira had burned most of the archers to cinders and was having difficulty fighting in some of the tighter streets.

Eragon returned to Saphira's side once the elves were ready. He fought with Saphira and the elves down the street. As he was trading blows with three soldiers, he felt the touch of Trianna. He let her in, ready to give his assistance to her group if they had found a magician.

_Nasuada reports the battle is going in favour of the Varden. We've only detected a single magician so far, and Celia was able to kill him before I contacted you for help._ Celia's kill surprised him, but he thanked her for the news and finished with the soldiers before him.

Deciding it was time they entered the keep and captured lord Taliesin, he contacted Blödhgarm. _The fight is going in our favour. With the lack of Murtagh and enemy magicians, it would save many lives if we entered the keep now, rather than waiting until the Varden had advanced close enough_.

Blödhgarm seemed to be indecisive for a moment, before agreeing. _I will call the other elves to us before we advance._ The other elves arrived quickly, allowing the group to push straight towards the keep. The Varden were still fighting as a large group near the gates, whilst they had pushed down a side street towards the keep. Most of the soldiers they encountered were slain quickly, giving them no time to call for reinforcements to slow them down.

Upon reaching the keep, Saphira took off, going to fight with the main group whilst Eragon and the elves fought their way through the castle. Saphira would be able to return to them once they were in a room big enough to accommodate her size. Eragon glanced around as he entered the keep, noting the lack of soldiers and the general layout of the floor. He heard a low humming sound on the edge of hearing, but wasn't able to pinpoint its source or what it was before it faded out of existence.

They quickly headed towards the stairs, eager to finish the siege as quickly as possible. The keep seemed to be a ghost town. Only a small group of warriors attempted to stop them, but they stood no chance before the might of the elves. Like the other warriors, they refused to surrender and the elves were forced to dispatch them.

They continued on, climbing higher in the keep, towards the keeps main room. The higher they climbed, the humming Eragon had heard earlier became louder and louder. He noticed the elves were also confused by the noise but failed to discern its source.

Eragon stopped the group before they entered the room. Eragon could hear a new sound that had previously been hidden by the humming. It was a voice, chanting. He turned to the elves, "Let me check first, I think we aren't alone." He stepped forward to enter the room, but Blödhgarm stopped him.

"Shadeslayer, do not be foolish, I will accompany you." Blödhgarm stepped forward with him. Eragon noticed Arya also follow them. He wished to protest but knew it would be better for him to keep silent.

As the dragon rider and elves stepped into the room, the chanting and humming stopped simultaneously. Eragon saw why. His heart stopped. He had been sure that Murtagh had not been here. And yet, clear as daylight, Murtagh was stood next to Lord Taliesin, grinning manically. Thorn and Lord Taliesin were oddly still, as if frozen in time. Blödhgarm whirled around, calling for the others.

The other elves immediately rushed to the door, but found a barrier preventing them from entering. Eragon realised they had entered a trap. He called for Saphira, spying a window large enough for her to enter through. He assumed Thorn had also entered through the same window, but it showed no damage.

Murtagh began to walk towards them, still grinning like a fool. "Ah, Eragon, how nice of you to walk into my little trap." He stopped, halfway across the room from them. "We have much to discuss."

Eragon felt a sharp push from behind, pushing him towards Murtagh. He tried to resist it, but Murtagh had put much of his strength behind it. He knew that Murtagh possessed far more Eldunarí than he had on the burning plains.

But something was different. Murtagh was not himself. Even after Galbatorix had broken him, Eragon had still known there was the friend he had come to trust inside of him. Now he was different. He looked as if the whole situation was some joke only he could understand. Eragon was disturbed by this new Murtagh.

He came within a few feet of Murtagh and the force stopped pushing him. Eragon put his hand on his swords hilt, he had to try and reason with him first. Eragon was acutely aware he couldn't defeat him in his current state.

"Murtagh, it is good to see you again." He lied. "Have you attempted my advice?" He asked, hoping Murtagh had broken his chains to Galbatorix.

Murtagh barked a harsh laugh before abruptly returning to silence. "How easy it is to fool you Eragon. Murtagh has proved he is incapable of following my orders. I have decided to take you myself. His dragon is a most troublesome dragon, persistent in trying to talk to Murtagh. Very distracting." He said, motioning to a frozen Thorn in the corner.

Horror dawned upon Eragon as he realized what Murtagh was implying. Galbatorix was using him directly. Eragon knew that Galbatorix did not have his full power through this manipulation, but it still allowed him to use a portion of his power. Even this portion of Galbatorix's power could destroy Eragon and the elves.

Eragon could feel panic rising in him. Today would be the end. He was not prepared. It was all over. He caught himself then, knowing he had to at least try.

Saphira had made her way to the keep and came crashing through the window. She landed unharmed from the shards and, uninterrupted by Galbatorix, she made her way over to Eragon and sat to his side, making sure she could keep her eyes on Thorn, in case he should suddenly start moving.

Galbatorix did not wait for him to respond. "Saphira, how wonderful to meet you at long last." Saphira ignored him and kept her eyes on Thorn. Galbatorix seemed unperturbed and continued speaking. "I see you brought me some elves to. Thank you for the gift, but I do not need prisoners. The elves are weak enough as to be no threat to me." He turned to face Blödhgarm. "Ah, a hybrid, I never liked those meretricious elves. Always vain about their appearance."

Suddenly, Galbatorix frowned at Blödhgarm and Eragon felt an intense mental battle occur. Before Eragon could even attempt to stop him, Blödhgarm burst into flames and dropped to the floor. He opened his mouth into a low howl, but Eragon did not hear it. He only saw the expression of agony upon the elf's face.

Refocusing, Eragon drew his sword, ready to fight. Arya took a step towards Blödhgarm but jerked to a halt. "Ah, the elf who escaped my grasp. I think I would like to keep hold of you until later…" Arya suddenly froze, as if unable to move. Eragon knew he was alone then.

"Eragon, it is a pleasure to finally be able to talk, one on one. I trust that the Varden and the elves have been filling your head with lies? They say the most terrible things about me." The mad king said nonchalantly. "I'm a very reasonable person really. I want to better the world. Why should the Varden cause death and destruction when we can solve this together. Peace could be returned to the world, all you have to do is say yes."

Remaining silent, he tightened his grip on his sword. Galbatorix forced Murtagh's face into one of disappointment. "Do you not see the opportunity you are being offered? We could save the dragon's race. With Saphira, their entire race can be rebuilt. The humans and elves would flourish because of what I've done. Riders will once again be free to roam the lands. You would give this up for your personal vendetta? Would you sacrifice the lives of so many just because of what you have been told?"

Eragon faltered for a moment. He forced himself to remember the destruction this king had caused and the people he had oppressed. He remembered the deaths of those he had loved. Garrow. Brom. Oromis. All of their deaths had been caused by this man. A cold fury arose within Eragon, and he knew he could never side with him.

He knew the king lied. He would manipulate the riders and dragons, bending them to his will. They would never be truly free whilst he survived.

"No, we would rather die than submit ourselves to you." He pointed his sword towards the king. "You will pay for the deaths of Oromis, Glaedr and all of those who stood in your way." He made sure not to reveal the current status of Glaedr, should Galbatorix attempt to seize him.

Murtagh's face was wrenched into one of fury. Murtagh's arm raised Zar'roc. "You are an ignorant fool. You _will_ do as I command. You will be my slave if you do not help me."

Eragon made the first move, aiming a blow to the right. Galbatorix deflected the blow and went on the offensive. The speed and strength that Galbatorix was able to muster through Murtagh's body was astonishing. He was faster than any elf Eragon had ever duelled.

The duel continued for a long time, neither losing nor gaining any ground. Eragon eventually abandoned his shield, for it was no use in their fight. Galbatorix forced Eragon to perform complex moves to avoid being struck. Eragon realized that Galbatorix was toying with him, testing his abilities, speed and strength. There was nothing Eragon could do to prevent this. He could not engage him mind to mind, for fear of losing. Eragon would be at a great disadvantage to Galbatorix's superior strength.

Eragon's reactions slowed and his blows became lighter, as his strength began to fade. He knew he was fighting a losing battle, but wasn't prepared to give up in the face of his enemy. It was only when he felt as if he were about to collapse did Galbatorix withdraw.

"I grow tired of this child's play. Murtagh truly was weak to have lost to you." Eragon felt a savage blow to his mind as Galbatorix attempted to gain access. The fight had tired Eragon and his defences faltered, allowing Galbatorix to enter his mind.

Eragon tried to expel him, but found he had a firm grip in his mind. He tried to hide things from the king, but he grasped at them with terrible force. Just as he was about to read thoughts which must be kept hidden at all costs, Saphira made a move.

Saphira still had her free mind and was able to swing her tail towards the king. It smashed straight into Murtagh's body, sending him flying across the hall. He slid to a halt near Lord Taliesin's feet, who did not react or move. The blow had caused Galbatorix to lose control of his mind and he was able to push him out of his mind.

Galbatorix stood up, emanating rage. "You will pay for that." A strong force kept Eragon in place as the king stalked up to him. Saphira was also constricted now, preventing her from intervening again.

"Perhaps you would like to see your dear elf… friend punished for your mistake and the frustration she has caused me." Eragon knew he must have seen of his memories with Arya. He must have seen the feelings he felt for Arya.

Murtagh's body stalked over to the terrified elf. As he approached her, he heard the surreal noise of Arya's quick breathing even louder than the noise of his boots clashing with the ground.

He saw the king say something, but the words were lost to his ears. Arya suddenly lunged forward, striking him hard on the chin. She backed away, attempting to draw her sword. As Eragon had been, she was constricted and Galbatorix stood, leaning forward and taking her sword.

He looked at the blade he held. He threw it away with disgust. "You shouldn't have done that. You caused me enough trouble before and I regret ordering Durza to not kill you. At least I have the pleasure of ending your little life here and now, before this boy. I can't kill him, but I can still break him." He took a step toward Arya, who stood, constricted by his magic.

Eragon recognized the look on Arya's face which showed she was concentrating and knew they were fighting mentally. Eragon doubted Arya could withstand the sheer brutality of Galbatorix's attack. This situation had been his fault. He had let Arya and Blödhgarm walk in here. He had led them straight into a trap. He cursed himself for his failures.

Suddenly, Arya slumped as her mind was controlled by Galbatorix's. With Arya under his control, he punched her, releasing his magic and allowing the force of the blow to knock her to the ground.

He heard the noise of Arya slamming into the ground. He saw her blood as a vivid red on a grey background. He knew the end was close.

Eragon knew that Arya had almost exhausted her strength; she was utterly in Galbatorix's control. In a dimmed view, he heard his sword slice through the air, towards the elf lying helplessly at his feet.

The blade was partially deflected by the last of her wards, but still sunk into her flesh.

Arya let out a small scream that chilled Eragon to the bone. He loved Arya. He knew that if she died, his life would be incomplete. He felt helpless as he saw Galbatorix raise his sword for the final blow. He closed his eyes, feeling life drain out of the world, waiting for the sound he knew would come…


	4. Aftermath

**Edit: Sorry, forgot to add the elfs name! REALLY need to make sure I've read it before posting.**

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><p><strong>Chapter 4 – Aftermath<strong>

Eragons mind was in turmoil. All of the time he had spent with Arya, the good and the bad, was being replayed in his head. He thought of the times they had had together and the times he wished he could spend with her. All of this was about to be ripped from his life, and there was nothing he could do about it.

The world seemed to be playing in slow motion and silence around him, he saw the sword slicing the air towards Arya. He could see the blood that dripped from her wounds pooling on the ground. He could _feel_ the death of Blödhgarm. He saw the manic look in Murtagh's face, sneering at the elf before him.

He tried to keep his eyes open, but they willed themselves shut, preventing him from seeing her death. He waited, hating himself for causing the circumstances and being helpless to stop Galbatorix.

After what seemed like an eternity, he cracked his eyes open to see the scene before him. Galbatorix's blade had sunk into her elegant frame. Emotions boiled in his mind, anger, fear, helplessness, sorrow. He felt an immense energy course through his link with Saphira, the partner of his life and mind. It flowed through his veins in a torrent of power. He felt the almost limitless power, but knew he could not use it. He knew only Saphira could use it, and she would only know what she had done after.

A great, blinding sphere of pure blue light surrounded Galbatorix, whose expression changed to one of confusion. He felt more energy flow through their link and into the spell. In a tremendous flash of sapphire blue light, Galbatorix disappeared. In his place, there was an after burn of the shroud that had surrounded him.

The world froze for a moment, as if trying to comprehend the sudden change it had experienced. Eragon immediately felt the magic stopping his movement fade and immediately moved towards Arya.

_Saphira, what did you do? _He asked, wondering what she had done to Galbatorix. _I think I sent him away. We will find out later, I will deal with Thorn, you need to attend to Arya, she is hurt. _Saphira had taken a step towards Thorn who had slowly begun to stand along with Lord Taliesin.

Thorn stood up quickly as he saw Saphira approaching. He looked around, with a wild look in his eyes, obviously confused and disorientated without his rider nearby. He panicked and tried to back away from Saphira, who stopped, knowing he wouldn't dare fight her without his rider there. Seeing that she had stopped, he thumped his wings hard, trying to gain height as fast as possible. Saphira and Eragon made no move to prevent him from escaping, there was no time and they lacked the resources to incarcerate a dragon.

As Thorn rose higher into the air, he hesitated, looking a bit nervous. He broadcast a message to both him and Saphira. _I am sorry for the actions of my rider. He is manipulated by the evil king. However, we are still trying your advice, although Murtagh is skeptical._ It was brief but unexpected and with that, he flew trough the entrance Saphira had used, just brushing the sides.

With Thorn gone, Eragon immediately turned his attention to Arya. She was weak and was terribly injured from where Galbatorix had struck her twice. He rushed towards her, knowing that Blödhgarm had already passed into the void.

He reached her side and knelt beside her. She was bleeding badly from the wounds she had sustained. He was surprised to find she was still conscious. She looked straight into his eyes. "Faolin... one of my only friends, you have returned to me. I was scared, there wasn't a path for me without you. I thought you were dead, and now you have come to save me." She said deliriously. She was breathing erratically and he could feel her fading.

"Don't worry, Arya, you will be fine." He said, trying to convince himself more than her. He knew the wounds she had sustained would take a long time to heal, even with magical assistance. He began to survey her wounds and noticed that Galbatorix had used some form of magic, which was acting like a poison on her wounds. He knew she didn't have much time and began trying to heal the most severe of the wounds, the cut Galbatorix had inflicted just before Saphira had moved him.

Arya continued talking, albeit a lot quieter. "We can leave. Yes, why should we fight? We've done out part. Yes. Me and you..." She said, falling unconscious. He poured his energy into her, keeping her on the brink of the void. He spoke the words of the ancient language without error, trying to keep calm. Eragon had little energy to begin with and it was not long before his hands were shaking from the exhaustion.

Eragon knew he had to do something terrible. It felt wrong in many ways, but Eragon knew it was the only thing he could do to save Arya. He reached with his consciousness towards the body of Blödhgarm and felt the left over remnants of his strength. It felt as if he was desecrating his body, but knew it was necessary.

He drew the strength from the body and poured it into Arya. It was the last energy he had left. Without help from the elves, he knew that Arya would pass into the void with Blödhgarm. His vision blurred and hands trembling, he didn't stop. He couldn't bring himself to give up and stop.

Just as he was sure he would fall unconscious, the elves shattered the wards on the door and poured into the room. There was a moment of horrified silence, as the elves took in the room. Blödhgarm lay dead, Eragon was falling unconscious next to a dying Arya, Saphira was laying down in the middle of the room and Lord Taliesin was looking terrified at the end of the room.

The last thing Eragon remembered seeing were the elves rushing towards him and Arya, calling their names.

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><p>Eragon awoke. He looked around and found himself in a room. It wasn't his tent, which was confusing him. He sought out Saphira and found her sleeping elsewhere. Then the memory of what had occurred hit him. He had been healing a dying Arya and had slipped unconscious. He jumped out of the bed he had been placed on. He winced as his head spun, but continued to the door.<p>

He found an elf outside, who he could tell had recently been crying. "Shadeslayer, you must rest!" She said, trying to guide him back into the room.

"No, not yet. How long have I slept?" He asked.

"We took you to the room only a couple of hours ago. Arya lives and the others are tending to her now." She said, anticipating his next question.

"Please, take me to her. I won't rest yet; I need to make sure she is okay." The elf raised her eyebrow at him, but did not deny him. She gestured to the doorway a short way down the hallway. "She is in there with the others."

Eragon rushed over to the door, the elf following. Upon entering, he saw Arya lying on a bed within the room with a crowd of elves surrounding her. One of the elves seemed to be temporarily in charge of the group and was giving orders to the others. Eragon knew he was in no state to help, and sat on a nearby chair, not interrupting.

The elf that had been guarding his room also began to heal Arya, leaving Eragon to watch on as the elves worked hard. The elves continued into the night, and Eragon eventually fell asleep within his chair.

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><p>He awoke sometime the night, once the elves had finished and left. He noticed the door was open and he could see two elves standing outside.<p>

Arya was asleep in the bed. The bleeding had stopped, but the wounds still looked terrible. He brought his chair closer, being careful not to wake her. It had been his fault that Blödhgarm had died and that Arya had suffered.

Eragon sat awake contemplating what had happened until the early hours of the morning. Nasuada visited him in the morning, to talk about what had happened before and after he had fallen unconscious.

He left the room, to make sure their talking did not stir Arya.

"I have spoken to the elves about what happened yesterday. They can't tell me what happened inside, but I know that Blödhgarm is dead and Arya is injured. I know you are tired from the events but I would like to know what happened in there." She asked.

He sighed and began to retell the events as he remembered them. "I decided it would be a good idea to end the siege quickly, by securing Lord Taliesin's surrender. The elves and I entered the keep and received little resistance. Upon reaching Taliesin's main room, I found Murtagh and Thorn awaiting us in a trap. Apart from Blödhgarm and Arya, the other elves were trapped outside, unable to help us." He winced as he remembered the terrible battle that happened next. "Murtagh was being controlled by Galbatorix. Lord Taliesin and Thorn were frozen at the end of the room when we entered. Galbatorix killed Blödhgarm and froze Arya in place to. I spoke to him briefly then, but I refused to leave with him. Because of my disobedience, he tried to break me by killing Arya." He spoke with contempt. It had been his weakness that had almost caused the death of the one he loved. _If I can't protect her, do I deserve her._ He thought to himself. "Before the killing blow was dealt, Saphira managed to spirit Galbatorix away. Thorn left shortly after. I attended to Arya before the elves arrived. I awoke some hours later in the keep." He spoke in a cold, emotionless tone. He had been no match to Galbatorix and everyone knew it. He was leading everyone to their deaths and there was nothing he could do about it.

She looked at him in a kind manner. "Eragon... what happened was unfortunate, but you can't blame yourself for what happened." She said, placing a hand on his cheek. "You must stay strong. When will Arya recover?" She asked, removing her hand.

"I do not know yet, it would be best to ask one of the elves." He said slowly.

"I hope she is back to health soon. Also, it would be best if you spoke to Islanzadi before the elves or I do."

"I will speak to her once I get the chance." He said. He didn't plan on putting it off for later, in case he should incur her anger. Nasuada nodded, giving him a comforting smile, and turned to leave. "We will be staying in Belatona for the winter. Spend the next few weeks recuperating, we can begin to plan later." She said whilst leaving.

Once Nasuada was out of ear shot, an elf approached him. He recognized the elf as the one who had issued the orders last night. He greeted him with the usual formalities. Eragon responded in kind.

"Shadeslayer, my name is Lúthien. I will be leading the elves here unless a direct order comes from you, the princess or Queen Islanzadí." He began.

"Will Arya recover?" He interrupted. The elf raised an eyebrow, but did not question his query.

"Galbatorix used an unknown magic on her, which is preventing her wounds from healing properly. Her body has put itself into a state of sleeping to help heal itself. We won't know the true extent of her injuries until she awakes." Eragon nodded and the elf continued.

"It would be best if you spoke to the queen soon. She will want to know what happened yesterday." He turned and left without saying a word, leaving Eragon to himself.

He returned to Arya's room, finding a mirror had been left on a table inside. "Draumr kópa". He murmured. An image of a tent appeared. An elf quickly arrived to speak with him.

They quickly exchanged formalities. "I seek an audience with Queen Islanzadí. It is urgent." He stated.

The elf nodded and left. Eragon waited for a long time, spending the time staring at the tent in the mirror, then checking Arya quickly.

Islanzadí eventually arrived with a frown. He spoke the formalities, to which she responded.

"I am sorry to say that Arya has been injured and Blödhgarm is dead." He stated matter-of-factly. Shock appeared on the queen's face, quickly replaced by a cold mask, not dissimilar to how Arya hid her feelings.

"What happened and how is Arya?" She asked bluntly.

"Galbatorix had a trap set for us in Belatona. Unfortunately, Blödhgarm, Arya and I were confronted by the mad king in the keep. He killed Blödhgarm as we entered. He tried to force me to leave, to which I refused. Then, he tried to kill Arya for escaping Durza's clutches. Thankfully, Saphira used magic to send Galbatorix away, allowing me to begin healing Arya. The other elves were then able to enter the room and took me and Arya away. As for your second question, Arya is currently sleeping. Her wounds were terrible and an unknown magic prevents them from being healed as they would normally. We must wait for her to awaken to see the true extent of her injuries." He summarised the events as quickly and shortly as he could. He tilted the mirror slightly, allowing Islanzadí to see her daughter quickly.

Islanzadí nodded, keeping her face emotionless. "I... see. When Arya awakens, you will contact me if she is unable to. For now, we will postpone the burial of Oromis' and Glaedr's bodies. I believe an elf called Lúthien should now be in charge of the elves. He should remain so for now." She spoke calmly and without emotion.

"As you wish, Drottning." She bade him farewell and he ended the spell.

She had taken it better than he had expected. He shrugged and returned to the chair next to Arya's bed. It did not take long before sleep engulfed him. His dreams tormented him with images of those he knew and loved, dead.


End file.
